February 21, 2019--Merk Investments(R) announced today that it has hired Peter Maletis as Vice President-Gold & Precious Metals Research. Mr. Maletis will be a member of Merk's Portfolio Management Group, primarily focusing on gold and precious metals companies.

February 20, 2019--Oil prices fell below 2019 highs on Thursday after U.S. government data showed a fifth weekly build in crude inventories and record production, while concerns about slowing global economic growth weighed.

February 20, 2019--By most accounts, the American economy is doing well. Jobs continue to be added at a robust pace, wage growth is accelerating, and the stock market has largely recovered from its late 2018 swoon. Yet a few recent pieces of data highlight potential trouble spots.

February 19, 2019--House bills with bipartisan support would direct regulators to examine new ways to oversee digital assets and protect them from manipulation, as some lawmakers strive to make financial technologies more mainstream.

February 19, 2019--Middlefield Group is pleased to announce the launch of a Exchange-Traded Funds ("ETFs") platform that will provide investors with professional active management within a cost-effective, investor-friendly structure.

SEC Proposes to Expand "Test-the-Waters" Modernization Reform to All Issuers

February 19, 2019--The Securities and Exchange Commission voted to propose an expansion of a popular modernization reform that would permit investor views about potential offerings to be taken into account at an earlier stage in the process than is the case today. The new rule and related amendments would expand the "test-the-waters" accommodation-currently available to emerging growth companies or "EGCs"-to all issuers, including investment company issuers.

Hedge-fund reporting requirements should be scaled back, pair of US regulators say

February 15, 2019--Fewer hedge funds should have to report portfolio information as part of systemic risk monitoring, a pair of Republican members of the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission said.

February 15, 2019--The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) started reviewing a rule change proposal for NYSE Arca's Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF) on Feb. 11, according to an official document published today, Feb. 15.

February 15, 2019--The clock just started on the latest effort to launch a bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF).
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it was beginning its review of a bitcoin ETF rule change proposal filed by NYSE Arca and Bitwise Asset Management on Feb. 11, and the proposal itself was published in the Federal Register on Feb. 15, meaning the regulator has 45 days to make its initial decision on whether to approve, reject or extend the proposal.

February 15, 2019--NYSE and Nasdaq file petition to DC court, saying regulators' move is unlawfulThe New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq have gone to court in an effort to block a plan from their main regulator to study the incentive schemes underpinning the world's biggest equities market.

CFTC Official Argues Against SEC's Grounds for Disapproving Bitcoin ETFs

February 14, 2019--Brian Quintenz, a Commissioner at the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has argued against the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) grounds for not approving a Bitcoin (BTC) exchange traded fund (ETF). Quintenz made his remarks during a panel at the BiPartisan Policy Center in Washington D.C. on Feb. 12.

February 14, 2019--JPMorgan Chase & Co said on Thursday it plans to launch its own digital coins, called "JPM Coin", that customers will be able to use for instant transfer of payments over a blockchain network.

Series added to Invesco S&P International Developed Low Volatility Index ETF (ILV)
February 13, 2019--Invesco today announced the launch of a new CAD-hedged series for Invesco S&P International Developed Low Volatility Index ETF† (ticker symbol "ILV.F").

February 13, 2019--Scientific Beta has designed a defensive offering in answer to investors' needs for a reduction in volatility compared to the cap-weighted index, as well as a protection of capital in bear markets.

February 12, 2019--On the heels of rewriting the rules of investing through its groundbreaking ZERO offering, Fidelity Investments(R), one of the largest financial service providers with $6.7 trillion in total client assets, today announced the expansion of its commission-free exchange traded fund (ETF) platform for individual investors and advisors to include more than 500 ETFs.

February 12, 2019--Major U.S. brokerages have been in the middle of a fee war as they chase investor dollars for popular products like exchange-traded funds.
As of the end of last year, ETFs had more than $3.3 trillion of assets, according to the Investment Company Institute.

February 12, 2019--Scientific Beta sees its assets under replication grow by 72% in one year
Scientific Beta has announced that assets tracking its smart beta indices reached USD 43bn at December 31, 2018.

February 12, 2019--Index products are bigger in assets as of the fourth quarter
Morningstar tracks massive shift to cheaper investing approach
If stock-pickers are becoming an endangered species, this may be the latest sign.

February 12, 2019-Pioneering program marks sixth anniversary by adding nearly 250 zero-commission ETFs, expanding coverage to 79 Morningstar categoriesSchwab announced today that Schwab ETF OneSourceTM, one of the largest commission-free exchange-traded fund (ETF) programs in the industry1, will double its lineup and add iShares ETFs to its already robust menu

February 11, 2019--Fund Has Shown Strong Growth and Results since Launch in March 2018
PPTY is a Multi-Factor ETF Designed for Investors Who Understand the Importance of Location, Property Type, and Leverage Levels When Investing Real Estate.

Alice's Adventures in Factorland: Three Blunders That Plague Factor Investing

February 11, 2018--Abstract
Factor investing has failed to live up to its many promises. Its success is compromised by three problems that are often underappreciated by investors. First, many investors develop exaggerated expectations about factor performance as a result of data mining, crowding, unrealistic trading cost expectations, and other concerns.

ETF disclosure should be standardized only after industry talks, State Street tells SEC

February 11, 2019--State Street Global Advisors, one of the three largest exchange-traded fund sponsors, asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission to launch an industry approach to consistent ETF disclosures rather than adopt a federal rule.

February 11, 2019--Reality Shares ETF Trust — a unit of crypto-focused fintech firm Blockforce Capital-has filed a proposal for an exchange-traded-fund (ETF) that would invest in a portfolio which includes both sovereign debt instruments and Bitcoin (BTC) futures.

Solactive partners with ESG provider Truvalue Labs to create a new line of AI-driven ESG Indices

February 11, 2019--Solactive, the German index engineering firm, will collaborate with San Francisco-based AI company Truvalue Labs, intensifying efforts to meet a significant increase in client demand for ESG indices.

Goldman Sachs is backing off the investing thesis it's held for the past two years

February 11, 2019--Goldman Sachs is ending its strategy of betting on companies with strong balance sheets.
The group as a whole has outperformed those with higher debt by 25 percent points since late 2016.
'The risk-reward has recently become less favorable," Goldman strategist David Kostin says.

February 8, 2019--Purpose Investments Inc, the manager of U.S. Banks Income & Growth Fund (the "Fund"), announced today that the Class A2 units of the Fund were automatically converted in accordance with their terms into Class T units, effective February 8, 2019.

February 8, 2019--Exchange Listed Funds Trust has filed a Form N-1A post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for theQRAFT AI-Enhanced U.S. Large Cap ETF
QRAFT AI-Enhanced U.S. Large Cap Momentum ETF.

Legg Mason Launches New Actively-Managed Short Duration Income ETF, Subadvised By Affiliate Western Asset Management

February 8, 2019--Legg Mason, one of the world's largest asset management firms, today announced the launch of its newest actively managed exchange traded fund (ETF), the Western Asset Short Duration Income ETF (NASDAQ: WINC).

February 8, 2019--ISRAELI TECH STOCKS NEAR ALL-TIME HIGHS AFTER STRONG RECOVERY FROM DECEMBER MELT-DOWN; ISRAEL LEADING ALL MAJOR MARKET INDEXES IN 2019Israeli stocks, as defined by the BlueStar Israel Global Index(R) (BIGI(R)), outpaced all major market indexes in January, posting a solid 10.68% gain.

February 7, 2019--For the second week in three, investors were overall net purchasers of fund assets (including those of conventional funds and ETFs), injecting $30.8 billion for Lipper's fund-flows week ended February 6, 2019.

February 6, 2019--ETF Series Solutions has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for theAmerican Customer Satisfaction ETFBrand Value ETFReverse Cap Weighted U.S. Large Cap ETF.

February 6, 2019--Managed Portfolio Series has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the Tortoise Cloud Infrastructure FundTortoise Digital Payments Infrastructure Fund.

February 6, 2019--Legg Mason, Inc. (NYSE:LM) announced today that it has determined to close and liquidate the exchange-traded funds listed below (the "funds") based on an ongoing review of its product lineup and to ensure it meets the evolving needs of its clients.

February 5, 2019--Q4 2018 returns lose -3.5 per cent
The first quarter with a loss since Q3 2015
Canadian defined benefit pension plans ended 2018 in negative territory, with an annual return of -0.7 per cent, reversing gains from the previous three quarters this year, according to the RBC Investor & Treasury Services All Plan Universe.

February 4, 2019--ALPS Advisors, Inc., acquired by SS&C, providing products and services to the financial services industry, today announced The Fund-BUZZ US Sentiment Leaders ETF (NYSE ARCA: BUZ)--will close to new investors on February 28, 2019 and liquidate on March 4, 2019.

February 4, 2019--Why when the markets go down or become volatile do people blame ETFs, algorithms and HFT (high-frequency trading) when the real, and perhaps less obvious, culprit is speed of information?

February 4, 2019--The ETF Analyzer, Sector SPDR Edition for February 2019 is ready for download. This monthly publication has succinct one-page reports on each of the 11 Select Sector SPDR ETFs in three easy-to-read sections: Investment Summary, Fundamentals, and Composition. It helps investors:
Evaluate the funds based on investment merit using fundamental data and analysis
Compare the Sector SPDRs with ease on a variety of forward-looking valuation metrics

PIMCO Canada Launches the PIMCO Global Short Maturity Fund for Canadian Investors

February 1, 2019--PIMCO will offer a mutual fund and ETF version of the strategyPIMCO Canada Corp. ("PIMCO Canada") has launched the PIMCO Global Short Maturity Fund (Canada), which is designed to offer higher income potential than traditional cash investments.

January 31, 2019-SmartBe Wealth, including Founders Rod Heard, CEO, and Art Johnson, CIO, joined NEO's Jos Schmitt, President and CEO, and Erik Sloane, Head of Funds & Trading, to open the market to celebrate today's launch of their debut ETF, the SmartBe Global Value Momentum Trend Index ETF (SBEA), on NEO.

January 31, 2019--The race is back on to launch the first U.S. bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), after Cboe resubmitted its joint proposal with VanEck and SolidX.
Announced Thursday by VanEck digital asset strategy lead Gabor Gurbacs, the Jan. 30 filing would, if approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), allow the Cboe BZX Exchange to list shares of a bitcoin ETF trust.

January 30, 2019--ETF offers access to worldwide e-commerce growth trend plifyETFs announces the launch of the Amplify International Online Retail ETF (NYSE Arca: XBUY), an index-based ETF that seeks exposure to international companies expected to benefit from the increased adoption of e-commerce around the world.

January 30, 2019--Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in December indicates that the labor market has continued to strengthen and that economic activity has been rising at a solid rate. Job gains have been strong, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low.

ETFGI reports ETFs and ETPs listed in Latin America gather net inflows of US$635 million during December 2018

January 29, 2019--ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm covering trends in the global ETF/ETP ecosystem, reported today that ETFs and ETPs listed in Latin America gathered net inflows of US$635 million during December.

January 29, 2019--Service may help institutional investors ease into crypto
Commonplace in other assets, custody's absence keeps pros out
Fidelity Investments is targeting a March launch date for its Bitcoin custody service, according to three people with knowledge of the matter, as the mutual-fund giant moves forward with a plan that could help ease fears of trading cryptocurrencies.

January 29, 2019--Brompton Funds Limited (the "Manager"), the manager of Taylor North American Equity Opportunities Fund ("TOF") is pleased to announce the completion of the merger (the "Merger") of TOF into Brompton Global Dividend Growth ETF ("BDIV" and together with TOF, the "Funds") effective January 29, 2019.

Thompson Hine Update-Preparing for the Next Generation of Actively Managed ETFs

January 29, 2019--Key Notes:
Many expect the SEC to soon approve newer versions of exemptive relief for the next generation of actively managed ETFs, which differ in how they keep the ETF's strategy secret, how they support the arbitrage process and potential intellectual property (IP) protection.

January 29, 2019--Equium Capital Management Inc. ("Equium Capital"), the manager of Equium Global Tactical Allocation Fund (the "Fund"), today announced its intention to terminate the Fund, including the Series A, Series F and ETF Series (TSX: ETAC) units (collectively, the "Units") on or about March 29, 2019 (the "Termination Date").

January 28, 2019--ETF Series Solutions has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the American Customer Satisfaction ETF
Reverse Cap Weighted U.S. Large Cap ETF
Brand Value ETF (BVAL)

January 28, 2019--Summary
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the effects of the five-week partial
shutdown of the government that started on December 22, 2018, and ended on
January 25, 2019. This report presents CBO's findings, which include the following
: CBO estimates that the five-week shutdown delayed approximately $18 billion
in federal discretionary spending for compensation and purchases of goods and
services and suspended some federal services.

ETFS Capital Invests $4 Million in ETFLogic, the New York City-based Leading ETF Analytics and Data Technology Company

January 28, 2019--ETFS Capital has provided an initial $4 million of seed funding to ETFLogic, the exchange traded fund (ETF) analytics and data company.
The parties anticipate that any future funding will also come from ETFS Capital, enabling ETFLogic to focus solely on developing its business without the need to source outside capital.

2018 U.S. Fund Flows Trends in 5 Charts Investors shunned most of Wall Street last year

January 28, 2019--Many mutual fund and exchange-traded fund investors had much less use for what most of Wall Street was selling in 2018. Most had little interest in anything that wasn't passive (continuing a long-term trend), core-oriented, and/or low-risk.

January 27, 2019--New York lender raises fund sales tenfold, outpacing State Street and InvescoJPMorgan's bid to join the top tier of exchange traded fund managers was boosted last year as the New York-listed group increased sales tenfold.

January 26, 2019--Active managers were hit hardest last year as investors reacted to jittery markets
Franklin Templeton and Invesco were ranked as the worst-selling mutual fund managers globally last year as turbulent markets prompted large redemptions from active investors.

Exchange Traded Concepts to Close and Liquidate the James Purpose Based Investment ETF

January 25, 2019--After careful consideration, Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC, the Fund's investment adviser, in consultation with James Investment Research Inc., the Fund's index provider, has recommended, and the Board of Trustees of Exchange Listed Funds Trust has approved, the termination and liquidation of the Fund pursuant to the terms of a Plan of Liquidation.

January 25, 2019--The US Securities and Exchange Commission has distanced itself from a global authority's statement encouraging companies to consider disclosing major business risks stemming from environmental, social and governance issues.

U.S. economy lost at least $6 billion to government shutdown: S&PU.S. economy lost at least $6 billion to government shutdown: S&P

January 25, 2019--The U.S. economy lost at least $6 billion during the partial shutdown of the federal government due to lost productivity from furloughed workers and economic activity lost to outside business, S&P Global Ratings said on Friday.

January 25, 2019--Bank of America Corp. worries flooded homeowners will default on their mortgages. The Walt Disney Co. is concerned its theme parks will get too hot for vacationers, while AT&T Inc. fears hurricanes and wildfires may knock out its cell towers.

ETFGI reports ETFs and ETPs listed in the US gather net inflows of 51.4 billion US dollars during December 2018

January 25, 2019--ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm covering trends in the global ETF/ETP ecosystem, reported today that ETFs and ETPs listed in the US gathered net inflows of US$51.4 Bn during December, bringing 2018 net inflows to US$315 Bn.

January 25, 2019--Economic activity in Latin America continues to rise, but at a slower rate than previously anticipated.
The weakening global economy and rising policy uncertainty are contributing to slowing Latin America's growth momentum. Overall, the region is expected to advance by 2 percent in 2019 and 2.5 percent in 2020-still well below peer countries in other regions.

January 24, 2019--Passively managed funds (including conventional funds and ETFs) attracted $445.1 billion in 2018, while their actively managed counterparts handed back some $282.9 billion (ex-money market funds) for the same time period.

January 24, 2019--After careful consideration, Exchange Traded Concepts, LLC, the Fund's investment adviser, in consultation with REX Shares, LLC, the Fund's sponsor, has recommended, and the Board of Trustees of Exchange Listed Funds Trust has approved, the termination and liquidation of the Fund pursuant to the terms of a Plan of Liquidation.

January 24, 2019--Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. ("Horizons ETFs") has announced a change to the risk rating of the Horizons China High Dividend Yield Index ETF ("HCN"), from "Medium to High" to "Medium". The change in risk rating is effective immediately.

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII files with the SEC-2 First Trust Buffer ETFs

January 23, 2019--First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the First Trust Buffer April ETF and First Trust Ultra Buffer April ETF.

January 23, 2019--An actively managed ETF that focuses on high quality, government securities to generate current income
First Trust Advisors L.P. ("First Trust") announced today that it has launched a new actively managed exchange-traded fund ("ETF"), the First Trust Long Duration Opportunities ETF (nyse arca:LGOV)(the "fund").

January 23, 2019--Direxion has filed a post-effective amedment, registration statement with the SEC for the Direxion FTSE Russell International Over US ETF Direxion FTSE Russell US Over International ETF.

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII files with the SEC-2 First Trust Buffer ETFs

January 23, 2019--First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII has filed a post-effective amendment, registration statement with the SEC for the First Trust Buffer April ETF and First Trust Ultra Buffer April ETF.

January 23, 2019--The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday that Cboe Global Markets Inc is pulling its proposal to list an exchange-traded product tracking the price of bitcoin, delivering another blow to cryptocurrency enthusiasts.

January 23, 2019--New long/short indexes enable investors to extend their market views
FTSE Russell is pleased to announce the launch of new long/short indexes, part of the FTSE Index-Level Composite Index Series, which global investment manager Direxion has selected as the underlying benchmarks for six new ETFs.